Getting into “The Poker Mindset”

I’ve been reading The Poker Mindset by Ian Taylor and Matthew Hilger and I can tell you that this book is mandatory for any poker player.

You were wondering why I’m saying that but it’s because the book explores not just poker as a game, but also the way that poker affects you, how you feel playing it, and other points.

When you’re playing poker sometimes it’s just for fun or maybe you’re a grinder. In any case, the book makes you think about your position as a player. After that it raises the question how do you manage your style? If you’re a grinder, what do you think about your bankroll as you play? Do you enjoy spending 8 hours or 10 hours grinding a game and end up getting so many suck outs that you can lose 20 or 50 buy-ins in just a day?

Sure, you can win that amount too, but how do you work with such a variance? Yes, because the game of poker includes variance and good players have to know how to deal with that.

The book is pretty clear about these ups and downs and it says that players that don’t know how to handle variance with these fluctuations will not be successful in poker, while those who understand the win-lose concept are more likely to make good money in the long run.

On some days it’s hard to sit at a table and lose so many games in a row but if you’re studying, controlling your tilt, and reviewing your games, you’ll probably manage to get through those difficult days.

It’s almost impossible to make some money without losing some too. The books stresses that in any kind of investment, you’ll have an element of risk. That’s why in poker you’ll need a good bankroll not only to help you survive the hard days but also to give you stability to handle your games.

I really recommend that you take a look at this book. I believe you will get good information that will help you improve your game.

Adriana Teixeira has been playing poker since 2006. She has Portuguese citizenship but now lives in Brazil, where she was born. She became interested in poker after watching the film “Casino Royale” with her husband, who is also a poker player. She works as teacher and plays poker part time, particularly enjoying playing Omaha Hi/Lo. When she’s not playing poker, Adriana enjoys writing and reading.